Five staffers were recognized for their valuable contributions to the School’s community
By Maria Iacobo
“Since Mary’s arrival at the [Center for Real Estate], she has methodically improved the operations of the program by simplifying and humanizing the many technical administrative burdens on the faculty and staff.”
This is one of the many comments supporting Mary Hughes, the assistant director for academic administration in the MIT Center for Real Estate (CRE), to receive the School of Architecture and Planning’s annual Infinite Mile Award. The award recognizes the outstanding contributions of three staff members or teams annually who have gone “above and beyond their roles,” as recognized by their peers. This year the awards were announced at the end-of-term appreciation lunch for staff in early June.
Hughes, the Department of Architecture’s IT team — Michael Gallino, John Hoder, Eduardo Gonzalez — and Alma Jam, the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging officer for the MIT Media Lab were introduced as the Infinite Mile 2025 awardees. In addition to the warm and thoughtful descriptions of their efforts over the course of the year, the awardees received flowers and a financial bonus.
Mary Hughes, MIT Center for Real Estate
Hughes, who has been with CRE for 3 ½ years, received multiple tributes for her engagement with students. Wrote one nominator, “What truly sets Mary apart is her genuine care for the students. She creates an environment where they feel supported, valued, and empowered to succeed. Her ability to connect with students on both a professional and personal level fosters a sense of community that is vital to their growth and well-being. Time and again I have witnessed her going out of her way to ensure that every student receives the guidance and resources they need to thrive.” Another nomination letter shared that Mary’s work has “championed the prioritization of fellowships and scholarship opportunities, especially for accepted students without sufficient financial resources. Her work has made it possible for many talented individuals to join the MIT community who might otherwise have been unable to do so.”
Hughes says she and her CRE colleagues “work well together and foster a supportive environment.” Mirroring the letters that praised her work, Hughes says she is all in for the students in CRE.
“My favorite part of this job is working with our students,” says Hughes. “Although they're only here for a short time, I have many opportunities to engage with them. I really enjoy getting to know them and helping them navigate the complexities of being a graduate student at MIT.”
Systems and Technology Organization of Architecture (STOA)
Computer trouble always seems to occur when you can least afford the interruption from work. Nominators for Michael Gallino, Eduardo Gonzalez, and John Hoder— the team that comprises STOA — were effusive in their gratitude for the outstanding support provided by the men, individually and as a team. Led by Gallino, the team responds to distress calls during evenings, weekends, and even holidays. As one nominator noted, “our connectivity through IT is more and more important to our educational mission” so working outside of typical workday hours “is so appreciated.”
The after-hours availability of a team member was noted by many nominators, including students who also wrote about gratitude for printing assistance in the stressful hours before their critiques and problem-solving when their computers malfunction.
“Recently I experienced the dreaded fear of most struggling grad students… sending my laptop flying across a hard floor and having it not turn back on,” began one nomination letter. “I sent an email to STOA, already strategizing how to afford a replacement…. within minutes of sending the email [with] the ominous subject ‘Broken Laptop’ Mike responded and told me to bring it over and see what he could do. Not only was he able to revive my laptop, but he also gave me an in-depth step-by-step [explanation] as he fixed it in the office. This embodies the attitude of STOA: Mike, Eduardo, and John are not only happy to help, [but] they’re also happy to spend time to help you understand.”
For their part, Michael, John, and Eduardo point out that their own chemistry is the foundation that allows them to work as a team and meet the multiple demands of the job. Says Gallino, “[we] support each other and take pride in our work.”
Hoder has been in the department for 2 ½ years. He says he embraces the challenges that come with the job.
“I am grateful to be working in such a challenging and stimulating environment,” he says. “I love science and technology, and to be near the forefront of advances in those fields is literally a dream come true.”
Alma Jam, MIT Media Lab
“I know how difficult graduate student life can be,” says one such student at the MIT Media Lab. So when she heard Alma Jam tell a group of students that her job “is to make students’ lives as easy as I can” it wasn’t long before she recognized “how true Alma is to her words….As an international student, I especially appreciated her efforts to organize an international students ‘meet and greet’…and discuss “visa-related regulations that are changing by the minute and how to navigate MIT life as an international student.”
Faculty and staff across the department wrote in support of Jam’s nomination noting she cultivates trust, is an active listener, “a connector of people,” and demonstrates empathy. Jam joined the department in February 2024 when world events had a dramatic impact on campus. Despite the turbulence, Jam fostered “community with great care, calm, and wisdom.”
Summed up one nominator: “Beyond all of the programs and day-to-day support that Alma gives to our entire community, it is her warmth, kindness, intelligence and deep-but-realistic optimism that has such a profoundly positive effect on our entire community.”
Jam says she feels fortunate to be working at MIT with the “kind, brilliant, and truly magical people” who form the lab’s community. She acknowledges how “intense and demanding” her job can be.
“I really appreciate the moments when I see the impact of the work: when a student or colleague feels truly seen, when a tough project finally comes together,” says Jam. “Or honestly, when it’s Friday!”
Perhaps that’s something we can all relate to.
